Debbi Wilkes' Reply About Jeff's Win

I was so upset about posters here suggesting that Jeff won Four Continents because it was held here in Canada that I wrote Debbi Wilkes to get her opinion.

Here is what she wrote me:

"I was right there rinkside ... and you're right, it was not Jeff's best
skate ... however jumping to the conclusion that it was rigged because it was in Canada is ... horrible!

Yes, Evan had a great skate, jump-wise, but with almost no program choreography. For Emanuel ... he got close to the last half of the program and threw the program out chucking in triple jumps wherever he could jam them ... adding up content, yes, but obliterating the choreography.

Jeff on the other hand had to add elements too but he did it in a way that didn't abandon the artistic goals of the program. He kept his head while everyone else around him was losing theirs, stuck to his choreography and only added jumps where it was approriate.

I thought the judges had an impossible job but did it very well. The outcome was so close, Jeff won on a majority of 2nd places!"

Well, I didn't agree with Jeff's win, but I too was very annoyed, and thrown really, that people kept saying he won because the event was held in Canada. The suggestion is, quite frankly, ridiculous. Just because the event was held in Canada doesn't mean the judges were Canadian, or had any kind of Canadian bias (note that a Canadian skater took the gold medal in only ONE discipline). The events were judged by an international panel of ISU judges. Jeff was not an overwhelming choice, merely the beneficiary of a crazy range of ordinals due to a mostly lackluster competition that made picking out a clear winner very difficult. Thanks for posting Debbie's comments.

I don't agree with the results, but I don't think Jeff won because he's Canadian, he won because the ordinals and the placement of each skater against the others were so bizarre.

Jeff has my favorite men's LP this year. My problem is he won without a 3axel, a 3lutz, and a jump combination and WITH a Zayak rule violation yet still pulled mid 5's in Technical Merit in a MEN's event when his competitors landed much more jump-wise.

Compare this with his LP in Detroit where he skated an AWESOME program that I loved and got 5.7's.

I guess Deb didn't mention Ryan Jahnke. Hmmm...complex & original program choreography, level 3 spins under CoP, a 3axel, a Tano lutz, great MITF, and a 3lutz-3loop combo that pretty much no one else does. Yet he's ranked 5th in the LP? Huh?

I happen to like Evan a lot and I thought his jumps were stellar. He's not mature yet but he skated fantastic. He didn't get a standing ovation for no reason. Apparently Paul Martini agrees with me.

He kept his head while everyone else around him was losing theirs

Who's everyone else?

It was pretty clear to me that Jeff & Eman were both unhappy with their performances.

I DO appreciate you writing Debbi. I disagree with her about Jeff's performance but I think it's great that she's chimed in with an opinion for us to discuss. I'm totally fine with people disagreeing with my assessment as well. That's why we have discussion boards like this one. I'm not bashing anyone by voicing my disagreement with the judging, I don't think.

I know!

I guess Deb didn't mention Ryan Jahnke. Hmmm...complex & original program choreography, level 3 spins under CoP, a 3axel, a Tano lutz, great MITF, and a 3lutz-3loop combo that pretty much no one else does. Yet he's ranked 5th in the LP? Huh?

Seems like Ryan has become quite the forgotten American, no? I think he's every bit as artistic as Buttle or Sandhu, but neither the reporters nor the judges seem to recognize that. 'Tis a shame.

Originally posted by Verbalgirl77 I My problem is he won without a 3axel, a 3lutz, and a jump combination and WITH a Zayak rule violation yet still pulled mid 5's in Technical Merit in a MEN's event when his competitors landed much more jump-wise.

He put the 2nd 3T in sequence with the 3S. That wasn't a Zayak rule violation. Jahnke, Ferreira, and Lysacek landed much more jump-wise; Sandhu attempted a lot more jump-wise.

Originally posted by hockeyfan228 He put the 2nd 3T in sequence with the 3S. That wasn't a Zayak rule violation. Jahnke, Ferreira, and Lysacek landed much more jump-wise; Sandhu attempted a lot more jump-wise.

Hmm...I might have to take another look. That 3toe steps into 3sal did not look like a legitimate sequence to me when I saw it.

I don't think either of the Canadian Men did their finest skating. Evan was the 'clean' one with 2 3As, and a couple of 3x2s. However, he is still lacking a style which the Canadian Men have so I am not screaming favoritism in the competition. In fact, I could put each one in a different order and still be ok about the result. I don't think the result was definitive. Jeff got only 2 firsts in ordinals.

However, Cythia Phaneouf was a total shock. Where have the Candians been hiding this gem? OK, that's another thread.

Originally posted by Joesitz I don't think either of the Canadian Men did their finest skating. Evan was the 'clean' one with 2 3As, and a couple of 3x2s. However, he is still lacking a style which the Canadian Men have so I am not screaming favoritism in the competition. In fact, I could put each one in a different order and still be ok about the result. I don't think the result was definitive. Jeff got only 2 firsts in ordinals.

I love Jeffrey's skating, but thought he had too many errors to hold onto first, but his artistry and flow over the ice is first rate. Sandhu is amazing, I can't take my eyes off of him, even when he's not on. It didn't even occur to me that the judging might be biased.........thanks Lad, for taking the time to get D. Wilke's slant on things......42